WILLIAM KERNS' MOVIE MARQUEE

Movies Opening Today

Natasha Calis delivers more than a few creepy moments as Em' in producer Sam Raimi's "The Possession."

Movies Opening Today

The Cold Light of Day

When young American Will Shaw (played by Henry Cavill) arrives in Spain for a week-long sailing vacation with his family, he’s in no holiday mood. His startup company has failed, making worse an already tense relationship with his disciplinarian father, Martin (Bruce Willis). When his family is kidnapped by intelligence agents hell-bent on recovering a mysterious suitcase, Will goes on the run. Martin turns out to be an undercover agent tangled in a web of lies and deceit. A sniper commits murder, Spanish police view Will as a murder suspect, and then he discovers U.S. assassins on his trail. He also finds Lucia (Veronica Echegui), a half-sister he never knew he had. Sigourney Weaver co-stars as a government agent who might be setting Will up.

In French with English subtitles; based on the book “You Changed My Life,” by Abdel Sellou. Directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, this film took only nine weeks to become the second most successful French film of all time. The feel-good dramatic comedy has become nothing short of a cultural phenomenon in France. The story follows an improbable friendship that develops between a wealthy quadriplegic named Philippe and a poor, Senegalese-born, former criminal named Driss from the ghetto, who is hired to care for him. Starring are Francois Cluzet as Philippe and Omar Sy as Driss. The latter won a Cesar (France’s Oscar), becoming the first black to win Best Actor in France.

Rated R for language and some drug use — Movies 16.

The Words

Rory Jansen (played by Bradley Cooper) is a struggling novelist. After five unsuccessful years, Rory is stuck as a supervisor in a publishing firm. While rifling through his old belongings, he finds a manuscript in an old briefcase he bought in Paris. It’s the best novel he’s ever read, unlike anything he has ever written. The manuscript lists no author, so Rory decides to pass it off as his own. In doing so, he experiences a level of fame and fortune he’d never imagined, although his wife Dora (Zoe Saldana) always felt he deserved it. Rory lives in bliss and denial until he meets the Old Man (Jeremy Irons), the true author of the manuscript, a story he wrote about his own life. Rory learns that such devious actions carry a huge price. Dennis Quaid and Olivia Wilde co-star.

A documentary created by conservative author Dinesh D’Souza, with the intention of demonstrating the dire consequences of a second term by President Barack Obama. D’Souza co-wrote and co-directed the film with John Sullivan; he also is the protagonist and on-screen narrator. In the final half hour, the film reportedly speculates on negative influences of the anti-colonialist sentiments of Obama’s real father.

Under Joss Wheedon’s direction, this emerges a super-cool movie, and not just because all those Marvel movie teasers from prior years pay off. What sets this picture apart from so many visual effects-driven predecessors is that these particular super heroes desire not only purpose, but deep-seeded friendships that range beyond family hopes or governmental orders. Performances by Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Chis Hemsworth (Thor) and especially Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) — oh, and let’s not forget Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and, Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson — all are believably funny, deadly and caring, and help make “The Avengers” much better than even fans expected.

Tony Gilroy, who adapted the first three Robert Ludlum stories into Bourne movies, now writes an original followup and grabs the directorial reins. Still, the biggest problem with this fourth Bourne movie is the absence of Bourne. Jeremy Renner impresses as agent Aaron Cross, and Gilroy serves a consistent buffet of action in locations ranging from Alaska to Manila. The story benefits from chemistry shared by purposely addicted and genetically enhanced agent Cross (Renner) and a scientist (Rachel Weisz) who risks everything by helping him. But the film works best as a setup for, one hopes, more exciting confrontations to follow.

Even in an election year, this film delivers no sly or subtle satire. Instead, sex hound Cam Brady (played by Will Ferrell) and Marty Huggins (a naive Zach Galifianakis) run more of a locker room campaign as opponents for a Congressional seat from North Carolina. In fact, it isn’t long before Cam is slugging babies and farm animals and turning in soft porn for his television campaign ad. A stupid subplot finds millionaire brothers (John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd) running Marty’s campaign while planning to sell North Carolina to China. Before long, story is forgotten, and the ending provides such a ridiculous change of pace that it seems snatched out of a different movie.

While the trilogy-closer offers despair, the film deserves to be watched more than once. No character is as charismatic as the late Heath Ledger’s Joker from “The Dark Knight,” yet important clues emerge within battles and hallucinations. Even as Batman meets his match while fighting Bane, the film reveals mistakes made by the Dark Knight — because the law must be trusted if it is to maintain power. Christian Bale again stands out, although almost in support because Tom Hardy commands the screen as villain Bane. Anne Hathaway is even better throughout as cat burglar Selina Kyle.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language — Tinseltown 17 and Movies 16.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

During his summer vacation, wimpy kid Greg (played by Zachary Gordon) hatches a plan to pretend he has a job at a ritzy country club. This brings on an embarrassing mishap at a public pool and a camping trip that goes horribly wrong.

Rated PG for some rude humor — Tinseltown 17.

The Expendables 2

Kerns Rating: Three and one-half stars

Directed by Simon West, this testosterone-fueled, action-packed sequel dares viewers to try to keep up with body counts. Just as silly, yet more entertaining than the Sylvester Stallone-directed original — with years of movie cliches dictating which Expendables won’t be alive at the end. Leader Barney Ross (Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), with new members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan), reunite when Church (Bruce Willis) enlists them for a supposedly easy job. Jet Li literally literally bails out quickly, as though he were late on another set. Arnold Schwarzenegger is on screen longer, with better one-liners. Jean Claude Van Damme is a suitably evil villain, and Chuck Norris, eldest of these AARP actors, makes cool entrances. Laughs are derived from characters having fun with lines from past movies.

More entertaining than it has any right to be, thanks to screenwriter Dax Shepard’s interesting characters and funny dialogue. Also directed by and starring Shepard as a former criminal who, when placed in Witness Protections, requests the name Charlie Bronson. While hiding out, he falls for a professor named Annie (played by Kristen Bell). To stay with her, he must leave protection and get her to a job interview on time in Los Angeles, which involves the use of a muscle car and stolen vehicles. Annie’s jealous ex-boyfriend (Michael Rosenbaum) goes on Facebook to contact criminals who want to kill Shepard’s character. Add to the pursuit a Witness Protection marshal (Tom Arnold) and gay highway patrolman (Jess Rowland). Even the criminal ringleader (an excellent Bradley Cooper) is introduced lecturing a shopper about the merits of the higher priced dog food, and college department head Kristin Chenoweth delivers a hilariously bizarre, Xanax-fueled pep talk.

Those walking in expecting only laughs will be disappointed. Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep are moving as a husband and wife who love each other but, after 30 years of marriage, have drifted away from being in love. They no longer even share the same bed. So Streep is intent on a week with marriage counselor Steve Carrell, in hopes of regaining feelings of being desired. She communicates so much in silent situations, especially when accepting rejection; yet one is touched when Jones begins to let down his guard. One doubts that younger moviegoers, those who cringe at the thought of their parents exploring one another’s bodies, will grasp the importance of this unfolding drama. Streep and Jones create believable scenes that can be touching and, at times, frightening.

Singer Nick Cave wrote the script, which no doubt is why the music and songs fit this Prohibition saga like a Sunday suit, including a 1920s version of Lou Reed’s “White Light, White Heat” that seems to cry out white lightning. Director John Hillcoat makes wise decisions here, from the casting down to the vehicles used to move moonshine in the wettest county in Virginia. The film is about the seemingly indestructable real-life Bondurant brothers, with Tom Hardy (Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises”) a standout as the proud eldest brother, Forrest, who won’t give in to anyone’s greed and even believes his own legend. (Funniest line: “I thought I walked.”) Shia LaBeouf is a younger Bondurant attracting too much attention, especially from Guy Pearce as a fastidious federal agent/dandy who is as difficult to believe as he is unspeakably evil. Any number of films from the ’50s and the ’70s better capture the excitement and danger of moonshine wars.

I planned to take Hailey and Tabi with me. Tabi was all for it; Hailey said no, “because it (the movie) looks stupid.” Tabi left the theater saying that Hailey would have liked it, too. She’s probably right, because what fairy tale doesn’t appear somewhat stupid if taken literally? That’s what filmmaker Peter Hedges delivers, a modern-day fairy tale in which a child earns smiles as he helps his “parents” accept faults and recognize strengths. If anything, the movie is about parenting and friendships, but child actor C.J. Adams is such a big-screen natural that even subplots (the factory may close) carry some weight. Cindy and Jim (played by Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) are despondent as the film opens, learning that she cannot conceive, and with one room already made into a nursery. They take turns writing down the best attributes of a child, lock the pages in a box and bury it in the garden. That night, a dirty, naked, 10-year-old boy arrives and says, “Please don’t ask me about my leaves.” Jim and Cindy are ready to offer unconditional love to this boy from the garden. But eventually Timothy loses his leaves, and his is no Pinocchio story. Still, Hedges’ light touch makes this entertaining, if sugary, escapism.

Norman (voice of Kodi Smit-McPhee) has it all over that kid from “The Sixth Sense” who only sees dead people. Norman also converses with spirits and, in fact, morning pleasantries with the neighborhood’s departed can even make a kid late to school. His conversing with the dead also finds him labeled a nerd. Making things worse is a warning from his uncle that only he can keep a dead witch from returning to destroy the entire town. The movie flits back and forth from spooky to funny, and co-directors Sam Fell and Chris Butler do not dilute the creepy portions, such as the hero having to retrieve a book from the rigor-closed hands of a corpse. Into this original, entertaining and nicely animated project, the filmmakers also insert a valid message about bullies.

This horror film from director Ole Bomedal tells the story of a broken family that comes under attack from a malevolent supernatural entity of Jewish folklore. Shortly after her parents (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Kyra Sedgwick) divorce, a young girl purchases an ornate antique box at a yard sale. In the weeks that follow, she fixates on the box, her behavior growing bizarre as she falls into the grip of a diabolical apparition. Morgan finds that the box is a holding cell for the disconnected soul of a deceased person denied entry into the afterlife, which needs a human host to inhabit.

As David Koepp has previously written “Jurassic Park” and “Spider-Man,” we should not be surprised that “Premium Rush,” which he both wrote and directed, is anything but ordinary. By focusing on bicycle messengers that dart in, out and through Manhattan traffic — we’re talking up ramps, through stores and down sidewalks — he’s come up with an original chase movie, at least once dirty cop Michael Shannon, who has lethal gambling and impulse issues, threatens and chases bike messenger Wilee (as in Wile E. Coyote). Consistently solid young actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers another impressive performance, the physicality of which is not diluted by the CG effects. It seems Wilee has picked up a valuable envelope and is determined to deliver it to the proper address — even though the cop wants it. Audiences will admire Wilee’s fixie: a super lightweight bike with one gear and no brakes. The film also builds up speed, making this a fun ride.